Study Finds Genetic Link Between Cardiovascular Disease and Depression

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and depression are severe and can affect a person’s health badly. They are ubiquitous, as CVD has affected 620 million and depression has affected 280 million people worldwide. According to past research, it has been said that CVD and depression are linked to each other. However, there is not enough data that can make it evident which factors make them linked to each other.   

This research was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry and was based on the Young Finns Study (YFS)- a study conducted to understand cardiovascular risk factors from childhood to adulthood. 

 In this study, researchers used data from 899 people aged between 34 and 49. They tested these participants for depression symptoms using a test called Beck’s depression inventory (BDI-II). On the other hand, they checked their cardiovascular health using a score provided by the American Heart Association.   

Researchers also collected blood samples of these participants in 2011 to understand their gene activity. When they looked at their blood samples, they found 22 groups of genes. However, only one group was linked to the development of severe CVD and depression. The top three genes in the same group were found to be linked to several brain diseases, such as bipolar disorder or depression. One of the researchers says that they are also linked to cardiovascular diseases.   

These genes, involved in the inflammation process, are responsible for the development of CVD and depression, which shows why these disorders occur together. Other genes of the same group were found to be involved in brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease.   

Researchers say that this group of genes can be used as biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases and depression. By targeting these biomarkers, they can develop effective strategies to prevent such diseases.   

Reference Link:   

Binisha Hamal Mishra et al, Identification of gene networks jointly associated with depressive symptoms and cardiovascular health metrics using whole blood transcriptome in the Young Finns Study, Frontiers in Psychiatry (2024).   

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1345159